Birmingham singer Jaki Graham is best known for her 80s dance hits like Could It Be I’m Falling In Love and Set Me Free, but next Friday fans will be seeing a different side of her.

She’ll be on stage at Birmingham Town Hall with the BBC Big Band performing the songs of George Gershwin.

‘‘Doing this project is a real honour and privilege,’’ says 53-year-old Jaki, who was born in Handsworth and now lives in Wolverhampton.

‘‘I’m doing between eight and ten songs, and the band will also be doing some numbers, so it’s a real celebration of Gershwin’s music.

‘‘I knew many Gershwin songs but when I was researching the material I discovered there were a lot of tunes that I loved when I was growing up that I didn’t realise were written by him. It was a real revelation to me.’’

Friday’s Town Hall show will be transmitted on BBC Radio 2 and will be recorded for possible release as an album.

Jaki also plans to release a jazz-flavoured album of her own.

‘‘I’m working with a lady by the name of Patrice Rushen in America – it will be an album of collaborations with different artists. I work a lot with Michael McDonald so we’ll be touching base with him as well. He’s put forward some material for me to do.’’

But Jaki won’t let us forget her soul roots completely and her hit album From Now On has been rereleased to download to mark its 20th anniversary.

She says: ‘‘I did about five albums just for the Japanese market so there are extra tracks from those records on the reissued From Now On.’’

Jaki plans to be busy next year with a spring tour timed to coincide with the publication of her autobiography.

‘‘Throughout the years people have said they’d love to read about my life and, hopefully, it will also be an inspiration to up and coming artists.

‘‘There’s a lot of it that’s very upbeat but there are things I’m going to touch on that may give encouragement to women out there.’’

Jaki is co-managed by her husband, Tony Ormsby, and 28-year-old daughter, Natalie.

Tony and Jaki have been together since meeting as pupils at Ladywood Comprehensive.

Says Jaki: ‘‘We’ve been married for 33 years. The secret of a long and happy marriage? He just puts up with me!

‘‘Because we do everything as a family – I also have a 16-year-old son, Ryan – it’s kept us grounded.

‘‘Tony got me into the industry in the first place, so he’s protected me, guarded me. He and Natalie look after me. They have my interests at heart – and they’re my biggest fans as well!

She does nostalgic 80s shows around the country and is always in demand for corporate events. She is patron of Charity Dream Girls, which stages shows to raise money for good causes.

‘‘I’ve just done a show with Candi Staton in aid of Help For Heroes, Home Start and The Alzheimer’s Society,” she says.

And then there are cruise ship gigs, allowing her to travel as far afield as India and Singapore.

‘‘It’s a lovely opportunity to go to these countries,” she explains. ‘‘Back in the 80s I thought that even if I was a one-hit wonder I was going to have a great time, but after 30 years as a recording artist I’m still here, still doing my thing and gaining more and more fans and everybody willing me to do bigger and better things.’’

Another perk is being “the face” of Paul Wayne Gregory Chocolates.

‘‘He’s a chocolatier who we got friendly with in London,’’ Jaki explains. ‘‘He supplied the chocolates for the Queen’s 80th birthday and when I do shows around the world I promote his chocolates.